1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a power supply mechanism in a conveyor system, and more particularly, to a power supply mechanism in a conveyor system which provides power to a product placed on a pallet.
2. Related Art
In general, a conveyor system is installed in a manufacturing line or assembly line as part of an automated system. In manufacturing products using the conveyor system, a predetermined process, for example an aging or breaking in process, is conducted after assembly of products. The aging or breaking in process is performed when a partly-assembled product is placed on a pallet, power is applied to the pallet via a conductive brush or roller installed in the conveyor system, and power is applied to the product by connecting a power cord of the product to a power plug socket provided on the pallet.
The pallet being a type of moving work area is transferred onto conductive brushes by the operation of the conveyor system, and a copper contact terminal plate provided on the bottom surface of the pallet contacts the brushes. Thus, a voltage supplied to the brushes is also supplied to the pallet. Then a necessary voltage is applied to the product placed and transferred on the pallet, via the power plug socket installed on the pallet, whereby a process such as an aging or breaking-in process can be performed.
However, in the conventional power supply mechanism, at the moment the brushes already conducting electricity contact the copper contact terminal plate installed on the bottom surface of the pallet, sparks are generated. Therefore, power surges occur, so that there are sudden variations in voltage. As a result, there are severe voltage variations in the direct current (DC) power actually provided to circuits inside the product, so that the circuits malfunction or become damaged. Also, carbide deposits form on the brushes or the copper contact terminal plate on the bottom surface of the pallet because of the sparks. Sometimes, the brush or the copper contact terminal plate becomes so severely damaged that power cannot be smoothly supplied. Consequently, there are various difficulties in conducting and performing tests and processes. Furthermore, frequent scratching on the brush or copper contact terminal plate causes problems, and replacement of the damaged brush or copper contact terminal plate reduces durability. Also, delays are caused in the process, thus lowering the productivity in the manufacturing process.
Power systems for electronic components are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,694 for Load Testing Apparatus for Electronic Components issued to Yokoi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,449,056 for Electric Power Distribution System issued to Ross, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,259 for Electrification Module for Conveyor issued to Clopton et al.
Although various power systems for electronic components currently exist, I have discovered that there is a need to provide an improved power supply mechanism in a conveyor system.